Raphaël is a name of Hebrew origin that means "God has healed." It is derived from the Hebrew word Rapha, which means "to heal," and El, which means "God." The name Raphael appears in the Bible as one of the seven archangels, who are believed to be intermediaries between God and humanity. According to tradition, Raphael is associated with healing and protection.
The name Raphael has been used throughout history by several notable figures, including:
* Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520), an Italian painter of the High Renaissance
* Raphael Meijer (1916-2007), a Dutch chess grandmaster
* Raphael Varane (born 1993), a French footballer who plays for Manchester United and the France national team
In literature, Raphael is also the name of the hero in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde.
Today, Raphael remains a popular boys' name around the world. It has been used in various forms throughout history, including Rafael, Raffaello, Rafał, and Rafal. Some variations of the name also include feminine forms such as Raphaella and Rafaela.
The name Raphael has seen a fluctuating pattern of popularity in the United States over the past several decades, with varying numbers of births each year.
From 1967 to 1985, there were consistently fewer than 20 births per year for babies named Raphael. However, starting in 1986, the number of births began to rise significantly, peaking at 23 in 1991.
This trend continued into the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a high of 13 births recorded in 2012. Since then, the popularity of the name Raphael has stabilized around an average of 7-9 births per year.
In total, over the period from 1967 to 2023, there were 439 babies named Raphael born in the United States.